


Countdown

by Faeline



Series: The Clockwork Series [1]
Category: Bleach
Genre: BAMF!Orihime, Don't worry, Gen, Implied Character Death, Past Character Death, That's what the Reset Button is for, Time Loop, Time Travel, they got better
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-16
Updated: 2012-09-16
Packaged: 2017-11-14 08:20:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/513215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Faeline/pseuds/Faeline
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's become a routine like any other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Countdown

Ten.  
Wait.  Prepare.  Go over the plan and her notes and what she's added to it this time, over and over, memorizing all of it, preparing to write it down again next time, because her physical copies don't last. And again, once more before she goes to bed. Just once more-

Nine.  
More of the same. Checking her plans- will this work? Can I get here now or do I need more time? Where will _he_ be in relation to _him_ , mapping out contingencies with skills honed by years of practice. Anyone can get anything right, given enough time and work and motivation. 

Eight.  
Now the waiting comes- the most excruciating part of her routine by far. Waiting and watching and wondering, dreaming of blood and screaming, dreaming of failures past. This is why she hates the interim between attempts.

Seven.  
Just one week, now, and the threads of the many plots in the air are starting to come together. Not just hers (the oldnew contender, a nobody playing like an old master) but his (the lunatic, meaning well but doing more harm than good) and his (the fanatic, the one who says _I am God_ ). Will she win and gain? Or lose and die?

Six.  
Nothing to do but watch and wait while Rukia gets slower and sloppier for all her efforts to the contrary, trying to go without the very human necessity of rest. No wonder she nearly died protecting Ichigo that first night.

Five.  
Now she breaks, for once, and slices one Hollow neatly in half after it tries to devour a child half her age right in front of her. It will upset her plans, but not much- at least it was Urahara who caught her.

Four.  
Now that the cat's out of the bag she gives up on trying to feign normalcy- she left others to fend for themselves, sacrificed them to retain the element of surprise, but Urahara will give her away trying to protect her (she hasn't needed protecting in a long time, but she appreciates the thought anyway), so there's really no point in hiding anymore.

Three.   
And now her preparations begin in earnest (pack for Soul Society, train for Aizen's rebellion, search for the Visored and warn them of what's coming. So much to do and so little time.) and she puts her brother out of his misery before the Hollows can get to him ( _I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Sora-nii-san_ ) and make him what he was. It hurts afterward, but the pain is dull with age, and she tells herself it was better this way. It doesn't help much.   
   
Two.  
This day, too, is mostly waiting. Everything that can be done is done. Everyone who will listen to her has been informed. There is nothing to do and nowhere to go and she is antsy and nervous and shaky all day. She takes several sleeping pills and dozes the day away. If she leaves herself like this she'll be up all night.

One.  
Wariness. Readiness. Will he make it or won't he? Is this a failure from the start? Visit the damned grinning shopkeeper again, warn him away from poor Rukia again (he won't listen, he never listens, and it's all his fault but she still needs him and maybe he won't be stupid this time) and tell him to be ready, too.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't think it's _too_ bad for a first attempt...
> 
> This Orihime was heavily inspired by Akemi Homura of _Puella Magi Madoka Magica_.
> 
> Note from the future: This was originally part of a series, but I realized that I lacked the skills to do the concept justice. I may return to it eventually, but probably not.


End file.
